Charging hopper mounting for truck type concrete mixers



May L1, 1945. R. J. BARNES CHARGING HOPPER MOUNTING FOR TRUCK TYPE CONCRETE MIXERS l Filed Oct. 29, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l ,E055 JZJDDnEarz-zgs May l, 1945. R. BARNES 2,374,912

CHARGINO HOPPER MOUNTING FOR TRUCK TYPEl CONCRETE MIXERS Filed oct. 2 9, 1942 s sheets-sheet 2 O May' l, 1945/, R. J. BARNES 2,374,912

CHARGING HOPPER MOUNTING FOR TRUCK TYPE CONCRETE MIXERS Filed Oct. 29, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 seal and bearing between the rotatable and nonrotatable parts of the closure; 4

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but illustrating the combined charging hopper and closure partially swung to its open discharging position;

Figure 4 is an end view of the device-showing the hopper in its closed charging position and having parts thereof broken away and in section;

Figureis a fragmentary detail view illustrating specifically the yieldable connection between the charging hopper vand its supporting arms; and y i y Figure 6-is a detail view'illustrating a slightly modified form of connection between the supporting arms andthe combined charging hopper and closure. x Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings inwhich likenumerals indicate like parts, the numeral designates the rotatable mixing drum of a truck type concrete mixer which, as iscustomary in the high discharge mixers now in general use, revolves about an inclined axis. The .rear elevated end ofthe drum is open to provide a charging and discharging mouth for the drum and preferably has adrip ring 6 iixedfthereto to provide a solid edge for the mouth of the drum. x The manner in which the drum is mounted and driven forms no part f ofl this invention, and therefore has not been illustrated. s .f

It is also common knowledge to those skilled in the art that the contents of the drum are discharged bythe actionof the'mixing blades upon `rotation-of the Adrum in such a direction thatgthe concrete contained thereinA is advanced to and spilled out of the mouth of the drum.

The ,charging of the drum is facilitated by the provisionof a hopper 1. 'Ifhishopperl in its general aspects is funnel-like and has-anvopen top which may be closed .by a suitable cover, not shown; and a substantially cylindrical discharge endportion'.` .y

The discharge Vend portion 8 is smaller in diametertthan the mouth of the drum so that when the hopper is properly positioned the aggregates enter the drum at-the center Where their admission .is not disturbed bythe .blading, and as therinterior kof the discharge end portion 8 is openv and entirely unrestrictedthere is nothing to obstruct Vor interfere with rapid charging of the drum.

Encircling thev discharge end drum closure indicated generally by thenumeral S land consisting of a plate-like collar I fixedI to the hopper and an annular outer member II freely rotatably connected tothe collar I0 by a combination bearingland seal I 2 specically illustratedin Figure 2. 1 f. w The annular outer memberII is of a Size to ntagainst the face of the dripv ringas shown in Figure 1, and, being freely rotatable about the collar iii, revolves with the drum when the charging hopper is in its closed charging position shown portion i 8Y is a in Figure l. For the closure to be effective, the annular member I I must seat tightly against the drip ring 6 around the entire periphery thereof, and to assure such tight fitting engagement even after the mixer has been in service for a While, the combined charging hopper and closure is mounted in a manner enabling the same to accommodate itself to the mouth of the drum.

To this end, the support for the combined charging hopper and closure consists of a pair of supporting arms I3 pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the hopper as at I4 and pivotally mounted by'being fixed to a transverse shaft I5 which is journalled in suitable bearings carried by a supporting structure I6.

Itis to be vobserved that the shaft I5 which serves as a hinged or pivotal mounting for the supporting arms I3 extends across the top of the mouth of the drum and that the connections I4 between the extremities of the arms I3 and the hopper are so positioned that when the hopper is in its closed charging position the transverse axis passing through the connections I4 intersects the axis of the drum. The connections I4 are thus diametrically opposite the drum axis.

It is, of course, desirable that this relationship be as accurate as possible and to enable the establishment thereof and correct for possible assembly errors, the construction illustrated in Figure 6 may be employed. As here shown, the arms I3 have their extremitiesv I3' longitudinally advjustable.

The specific manner in which this longitudinal adjustment is provided for the extremities of the arms may be of any suitable design. In the construction shown, a pin I'I extends from the arm to be slidably received in a tubular extension I8 on an eye which forms the extremity I3' and an adjusting lscrew I9 locks the parts in any desired position of relative adjustment.

The connections I4 between the extremities of the supporting 1 arms and the hopper are, of course, made to the nonrotatable part of the hopper. To receive these connections bosses 20 are mounted on the collar I0 to provide anchors for studs 2|. -The studs 2I are threaded into the bosses 2U and are coaxial so that the hopper is free to tilt or swing about the axis of the connections I4 thereby allowing the closure to adjust itself (about a horizontal axis) tothe mouth of the drum. It is in this direction that misalignment is most apt to occur.

Misalignment about a vertical axis, although not common, is' also accommodated by the lncorporation of yieldability in the connections I4. For this purpose; the extremities of the arms are bored large enough to receive collars 22 of rubber or other similar material having cubical elasticity the bores of which receive sleeves 23 which are'mounted on the studs 2|. Side plates 24 close the ends of the bores in the arnis and complete the enclosure for the rubber collars 22. Oscillating the shaft I5 swingsthe arms I3 and thus lifts or carries the combined charging hopper and closure about the axis of the shaft I5 from a closed charging position shown in Figure l to an elevated open discharging -position illustrated in Figure 3. I As the hopper isv so swung between charging and discharging positions, it is, of course, desirable that it be held insubstantially its proper position-with relation to the supporting arms, and for this purpose yieldable connections 25 are supporting connection between said arms and the supporting structure near the top of the mouth of the drum, and means for swinging said arms about their pivotal support; a yieldable connection between the hopper andat least one of the arms at a distance from the pivotal connections between the hopper and arms for yieldingly holding the hopper against tilting about its connections with the arms as the hopper is swung to an open discharging position and means providing yieldability in the .pivotal connections between the hopper and the arms.

5. A charging hopper construction for truck type concrete mixerswherein the. rotatable mixing drum has an open end providing a mouth through which the drum is charged and discharged: a funnel-like hopper having an open unrestricted discharge end; closure means on the discharge end portion of the hopper for closing the space between it and the mouth of the drum when the hopper is in its charging position, said means including a freely rotatable annular member encircling the discharge end por- ,y tion of the hopper and adapted for engagement with the mouth of the drum to revolve therewith; a pair of supporting arms for the hopper and the closure means; means connecting the supporting arms with the nonrotating part of the hopper at opposite sides thereof and in a manner allowing relative pivotal movement between the arms and hopper about a transverse axis; a supporting structure adjacent to the open end of the drum; means supporting the arms from said supporting structure for swinging movement about a transverse axis near the top of the mouth of the drum, said arms being of such length that the transverse axis of their connections with the hopper substantially intersects i the drum axis when the hopper is in its charging position; means for swinging the arms about their connections with the supporting structure and whereby the hopper may be swung from its charging position to an elevated discharging position at which all parts of the hopper are clear of the mouth of the drum to afford an unrestricted view into the drum and unrestricted discharge of the drum contents, said arms constituting the sole support for the hopper so that the hopper` is free to adjust itself to the mouth of the drum to insure snug engagement between the rotating part of its closure means and the mouth of the drum as the hopper is brought into charging position; and a yieldable connection between the hopper andy at least one ofsaid arms at a distance from the pivotal connections between the hopper and arms for yieldingly holding the hopper against tilting about its connections with the arms as the hopper is swung toan open discharging position.

6. In a concrete mixer of thetype having a drum'provided withan open end which serves as a charging and discharging mouth for the drum: a combined charging hopper and closure including a rotatable part adapted for engagement with-the .mouth of the drum to revolve therewith; a pair of suporting arms for the combined charging hopper and closure; means pivotally mounting the arms to swing about a transverse axis near the top of the mouth of the drum; connections between the arms and the nonrotatable part of the combined charging hopper and closure lying on a transverse axis which intersects the centerabout which the rotatable part of the closure revolves; and means providing adjustment in the connections whereby the discharge end; a drum closure on and encircling the discharge end of the hopper and adapted for engagement with the mouth of the drum when the hopper is in its charging position; a pair of supporting arms; means pivotally mounting thearms to swing in unison about a transverse axis near the top of the mouth of the drum; pivotal connections between the extremities of the arms and the discharge end portion of the charging hopper so located with respect to the hopper that said connections are coaxial and have their common axis passing substantially through the center of the discharge end of the hopper, said connections comprising studs fixed with respect to the hopper and received inbores in the extremities of the arms; and collars of material having cubical elasticity interposed between the studs and the bores to give the connections limited yieldability in all directions; and a yieldable connection between the hopper and at least one of said arms at a distance from the pivotal connections between the hopper and arms for yieldingly holding the hopper against tilting about its connections with the arms as the hopper is swung to and from an open discharging position.

8. In a combined charging hopper and closure for the drum of a concrete mixer: a funnel-like hopper; a collar encircling and fixed to the discharge end portion of the hopper, said collar having a circular stepped periphery with its portion of smallest diameter facing the drum; an annular rotatable closure part adapted for engagement with the mouth of the drum; a ring member iixed to the inner peripheral edge portion of said annular closure member and having an inwardly directed annular flange seated on one of the steps on the periphery of the collar; and a ring seated in an adjacent inwardly -disposed step of the collar and secured to the collar in a position overlying the annular flange to confine the same in place and cooperate with the collar in providing a free running bearing for the ilange of the ring member, said last named ring and the ring member having contiguous cylindrical surfaces, and the ring member having circumferentially spaced openings between its annular flange and its cylindrical surface which is contiguous to that of the ring, through which grout which passes between said contiguous surfaces reaches the exterior without coming in contact with the bearing surfaces of the flange.

9. In a concrete mixer having a frame and a mixing drum mounted thereby which is'provided with a material-transfer lopening at one end: means for charging concrete-making materials into the drum, comprising a hopper for receiving the materials, having a port normally positioned to discharge them through said drum opening; means mounting said hopper upon the frame for movements from and toward the drum opening, in the plane of the axis of the drum, comprising at least one arm journalled upon the frame and having a pivotal connection with the hopper; resilient means for restraining relative movement between said hopper and arm about said pivotal connection, whereby to yieldably maintain a prea rotatable mixing drum'mountedthereby which t is. provided with a material-transfer opening at determined relationship between the two; and means for moving said arm.

10. In a concrete mixer having a frame and a rotatable mixing drum mounted thereby which is provided with a material-transfer opening at one end: means for charging concrete-making materials into ysaid drum, comprising a hopper for receiving the materials, having a port normally disposed to discharge them through said t drum opening; means non-rotatably mounting said hopper upon the frame for movements `1on-` i gitudinallyv of the drum axis from and toward said opennig to provide for discharge of the con-1 crete mixture, comprising'a pair of arms journalled upon the frame and pivotally connected to the hopper; a resilient connection between said hopper and arms tending to yieldably maintain a predetermined relationship between them; and means for moving said arms. l i

11. In a concrete mixer having a frameand one end: means for charging concrete-making materials into said drum, comprising `a hopper `for receiving the materials, having a port nor-` mally disposed to discharge them through said drumV opening; means non-rotatably mounting h said hopper upon the frame for oscillatory moveyably `maintain a predetermined relationship ben tween the hopper and arms gand means for moving said arms. n

` i ROSS IUDSON BARNES. 

